Music Banter - View Single Post

Guybrush · 02-16-2009, 05:22 AM

I'm taurus and, of course, some of the traditional taurus things apply for me, although probably not more than they do for people in general.

I don't believe in astrology. I once read this interesting article about someone who had made a horoscope, then given it to several people. All the people (hundreds) had the same horoscope and then they asked if they thought the horoscope fit them. A very large majority said that it did and of those, a good chunk claimed that it fit very well - even though it was the same for all. I just wish I knew where I read about this so I could post a source .. Maybe someone who reads this will recognise it and can help out with a link

People are really good at associating. If you have random claims about your future, then some of them are likely to be correct - even if only by chance. Many people mentally latch onto that and think of them as predictions.

I used to read tarot cards which function in a similar way. First, the cards make general claims about the past and it's influence .. Almost always, these are "correct" in that perhaps 80% of the time, the person will know specific events that they can tie the cards to. In the other 20%, they usually would ask me if it could be this or this and I would help them find something (decieve them). Only very rarely would the cards not work .. The cards also do the same for the current situation - a bit more unreliable, but pretty much works the same way - and these two deceptions set people up for believing in the final predictions made by the cards about the future.

It's just humbug. Horoscopes and other ways to read futures is just randomness mixed with quite a bit of deception. Anyone who knows statistics and perhaps a little about human nature should be able to see that.

edit :

BJ, characteristics of the different zodiacs are usually things that are true for a very large amount of people. Lots in your zodiac description applies to me as well, possibly just as well as it applies to yourself. Describing people's personalities with fairly general traits is an art used not only in astrology, but also by people who do cold readings (to gain trust) and other ways of decieving others.

"This says I'm supposed to be down to earth and pragmatic .. Well ... Yes, that is excatly like me!" <- gullible

02-16-2009, 05:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I'm taurus and, of course, some of the traditional taurus things apply for me, although probably not more than they do for people in general. I don't believe in astrology. I once read this interesting article about someone who had made a horoscope, then given it to several people. All the people (hundreds) had the same horoscope and then they asked if they thought the horoscope fit them. A very large majority said that it did and of those, a good chunk claimed that it fit very well - even though it was the same for all. I just wish I knew where I read about this so I could post a source .. Maybe someone who reads this will recognise it and can help out with a link People are really good at associating. If you have random claims about your future, then some of them are likely to be correct - even if only by chance. Many people mentally latch onto that and think of them as predictions. I used to read tarot cards which function in a similar way. First, the cards make general claims about the past and it's influence .. Almost always, these are "correct" in that perhaps 80% of the time, the person will know specific events that they can tie the cards to. In the other 20%, they usually would ask me if it could be this or this and I would help them find something (decieve them). Only very rarely would the cards not work .. The cards also do the same for the current situation - a bit more unreliable, but pretty much works the same way - and these two deceptions set people up for believing in the final predictions made by the cards about the future. It's just humbug. Horoscopes and other ways to read futures is just randomness mixed with quite a bit of deception. Anyone who knows statistics and perhaps a little about human nature should be able to see that. edit : BJ, characteristics of the different zodiacs are usually things that are true for a very large amount of people. Lots in your zodiac description applies to me as well, possibly just as well as it applies to yourself. Describing people's personalities with fairly general traits is an art used not only in astrology, but also by people who do cold readings (to gain trust) and other ways of decieving others. "This says I'm supposed to be down to earth and pragmatic .. Well ... Yes, that is excatly like me!" <- gullible __________________ Something Completely Different Last edited by Guybrush; 02-16-2009 at 05:37 AM.